Controller’s Website To Post More Data

(Sean Whaley/Nevada News Bureau) – A bill requiring more of the state’s financial data to be posted online at the Controller’s office website has been signed into law by Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Assembly Bill 276, sought by Assemblyman Marcus Conklin, D-Las Vegas, will require the office to post data concerning the expenditures and revenues of the state, including a table displaying all revenues received during each month from certain sources; a table displaying all expenditures made each month for certain purposes; a graph displaying certain cumulative expenditures by month during the current biennium and the immediately preceding biennium; and additional information as well.

The bill received unanimous approval in both houses of the Legislature, and takes effect July 1, 2012. It was signed into law Sunday.

State Controller Kim Wallin already hosts financial on her website, as does Sandoval. Conklin, however, said in a hearing on the bill earlier this session that the current data-displays lack charts, graphs and year-by-year comparisons that his bill would require.

“Information is not readily available,” Conklin said. “It is very hard to find. … As some of you know in my private capacity, I do some economic research from time to time. … I can tell you from personal experience, finding good, usable consumable data is very, very difficult.”